Roger Dodger
Senior List
Dear Terry,
How are you? Man, this professional footy is a tough racket. Dubious umpire decisions to contend with, inexperienced players to motivate and a lack of leadership to rely on when the game starts cooking.
I feel for you. Well, sometimes.
With all due respect, why is that on four occasions this year, when Richmond, that being the club you are paid to coach, and the club I pay to have the privilege of watching lose, has been in a superior position on the scoreboard than the opposition and we have lost in the most mediocre of circumstances?
Could it be the wind suddenly changes direction? That lack of experience you say we don't have to draw on suddenly rears its ugly head? Or is it something else?
I'm just thinking out loud here, but these losses they're ruining my life. And some of my mates to. They've got me thinking too, a dangerous thing some might say for a Tigers fan to do, that maybe I don't need to tolerate this when there's no rational explanation (besides the change of wind, lack of leadership and contentious officiating) I can feasibly apply to us (meaning you, me, and the guys out on the ground, well maybe not our captain, no definitely not our captain) to letting the opposition (that being the other team we are playing) who, we have got the better of, in most of the crucial contests on the field, back into the contest.
Perhaps there is one question you can answer. And it has nothing to do with sun tanning solariums or what your favourite Neil Young album is. I toss up between On the Beach with Everyone Knows This is Nowhere, two apt titles considering the plight of the Richmond Football Club this, and the last couple of, seasons. The question I would like to ask concerns the mysterious style of game you have been implementing when we have worked our way in front.
As was the case against Carlton, Collingwood, West Coast and now Essendon (not to dismiss whole maladroit passages against Sydney), when the RFC, the team you coach and I, as the ancients used to say, barrack for, has gained comprehensive ascendency on the field, the message has gone out to go defensive, soak up the clock, play possession football, which contrary to the style of play that has seen us hit the front, has, surprise, surprise, seen us slip behind, which is to say, surrender the momentum, our scoreboard lead, the dominant run and carry through the midfield, and virtually all penetration inside the forward line. (That may sound dirty to you but watching it is pornography of the cheapest, nastiest variety).
Without wanting to take up any more of your time I am wondering why you and your colleagues high above in the tactical box have insisted on this pattern of play when it quite clearly, to my eyes at least, has not worked - yet. In fact it has been completely detrimental to that concept, and you have been familiar with it at the Bulldogs, called winning.
A lot has been made of the travesty that went on at the half forward flank on Saturday night nearing the denouement of the game. There was another one which occured about five minutes before it. It involved another individual not allowed to touch the ball. I believe he is called the runner. Only in this case you, for the most part, control what he does.
Best,
Roger "Dodger" Dean.
How are you? Man, this professional footy is a tough racket. Dubious umpire decisions to contend with, inexperienced players to motivate and a lack of leadership to rely on when the game starts cooking.
I feel for you. Well, sometimes.
With all due respect, why is that on four occasions this year, when Richmond, that being the club you are paid to coach, and the club I pay to have the privilege of watching lose, has been in a superior position on the scoreboard than the opposition and we have lost in the most mediocre of circumstances?
Could it be the wind suddenly changes direction? That lack of experience you say we don't have to draw on suddenly rears its ugly head? Or is it something else?
I'm just thinking out loud here, but these losses they're ruining my life. And some of my mates to. They've got me thinking too, a dangerous thing some might say for a Tigers fan to do, that maybe I don't need to tolerate this when there's no rational explanation (besides the change of wind, lack of leadership and contentious officiating) I can feasibly apply to us (meaning you, me, and the guys out on the ground, well maybe not our captain, no definitely not our captain) to letting the opposition (that being the other team we are playing) who, we have got the better of, in most of the crucial contests on the field, back into the contest.
Perhaps there is one question you can answer. And it has nothing to do with sun tanning solariums or what your favourite Neil Young album is. I toss up between On the Beach with Everyone Knows This is Nowhere, two apt titles considering the plight of the Richmond Football Club this, and the last couple of, seasons. The question I would like to ask concerns the mysterious style of game you have been implementing when we have worked our way in front.
As was the case against Carlton, Collingwood, West Coast and now Essendon (not to dismiss whole maladroit passages against Sydney), when the RFC, the team you coach and I, as the ancients used to say, barrack for, has gained comprehensive ascendency on the field, the message has gone out to go defensive, soak up the clock, play possession football, which contrary to the style of play that has seen us hit the front, has, surprise, surprise, seen us slip behind, which is to say, surrender the momentum, our scoreboard lead, the dominant run and carry through the midfield, and virtually all penetration inside the forward line. (That may sound dirty to you but watching it is pornography of the cheapest, nastiest variety).
Without wanting to take up any more of your time I am wondering why you and your colleagues high above in the tactical box have insisted on this pattern of play when it quite clearly, to my eyes at least, has not worked - yet. In fact it has been completely detrimental to that concept, and you have been familiar with it at the Bulldogs, called winning.
A lot has been made of the travesty that went on at the half forward flank on Saturday night nearing the denouement of the game. There was another one which occured about five minutes before it. It involved another individual not allowed to touch the ball. I believe he is called the runner. Only in this case you, for the most part, control what he does.
Best,
Roger "Dodger" Dean.
